wulff



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. R. E. WULFF.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND GUIDING BALLOONS.

No. 363,037 Patented Mayl7,1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

G. R. E. WULPP.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND GUIDING BALLOONS.

No. 363,037 Patented Ma 1 1887.

011; J9 LL j 1%;: i A, I at A g IIFFLIII UNITED STATES 'ATENT FFICE.

CHARLES RICHARD EDOUARD WULFF, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING'AND GUIDING BALLOONS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 363.037, dated May17, 1887.

lwlicntion filed May 2 1886. Serial 110,203,078. (No model.) Patented inFrance April 2t, 1886, No. 175,662.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I. Ciruzuas RH'HARD EDOUARD \VULFF, of Paris, in theRepublic of France, haveinventcd a new or Improved Means and Apparatusfor Propellingand Guiding Balloons, (for which I have obtained LettersPat-cut of France for fifteen years, dated April 21-, 1886, X0. 175,663)and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

All attempt-s heretofore made to guide or steer balloons have comprisedmechanical,

.the propelling and guiding parts are only imperfectly suited to themedium in which they are placed and against which theyhave totake theirbearing. y this present invention the mechanical motor and propellingand guiding arrangements are replaced bya living motor or motors takenfrom the flying classes of birdssuch as, for example, one or moreeagles, vultures, condors, &'c. By means of suitable arrangements(clearly shown in the annexed drawings) all the qualities and powersgiven by nature to these most perfect kinds of birds may be completelyutilized.

Theinvent-ion consists in details of construction and combinations ofparts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is an elevation of anair-balloon with living propellers in accordance with this invention.Fig. 2 is a plan with the parachute removed. Fig. 3 is a transversesection of the same, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of the harness forconnecting the birds to the balloon.

The balloon a may be of any suitable form and dimensions. It should beadapted to fuliill in the'bcst possible way all the conditions indicatedby theory and experience for obtaining the maximum speed of translationand perfectly stable equilibrium. The gas-chambers are placed in frontand behind.. Their sizes are determined by the number of persons to becarried, and by the specific gravity of the materials and accessoriesentering into the constitution of the balloon. A car, b, is suspended tothe balloon by means of a net and a metallic frame, 0 c, which connectsthese two principal'parts rigidly tbgether. In the car b is placed theaeronaut, who has charge of the whole apparatus, and a reservoir of gasmay also be placed therein to provide for leakages. At the upper part isplaced a floor, d, which carries the overseer or person working the apparatus. This floor, which is shown of circular form, has its centerplaced in the vertical plane, which contains the center of gravityof thewhole apparatus. A mast, f, is securely fixed in the center of thefloor. L

On the floor d r'ests,-:it any required height, a circular rail, 9,concentric with the mast. On

thisrail roll four flanged rollers, h, mountedloosely on gudgeons on theends of two arms, k'k', forming a cross. The boss 1, toward which thearms is k converge, fits freely on' the mast f. A sleeve, j, connectsthis bossto the hand-wheel m, placed at a suitable height.

By moving the hand-wheel m in one direction or the other the cross 7: Itis turned round to the right or to the left.

Besides the rollers It the ends of the cross k k carry supports orstandards a, which use sufficiently high to be connected by hinges withthe four corsets or metallic frames ll] which are. secured by bands andshoulderstraps p the birds .1", intended to draw anddirect the balloon.

The corsets or harnesses 12 have forms and dimensions appropriate to thebodies of the birds chosen, such as eagles, vultures, condors, &c. Thestraps or girts psecurethe blrds firmly, but leave thcirwings in perfectliberty.

These corsets are capable of pivoting forward or backward round the axisof the hinges I.

These pivotings are effected onall four corin any other direction hedesires.

-- guiding the balloon.

floor d can easily cause the cross Ir k to turn by means of thehand-wheel m, and, with the cross, the birds x, so as to utilize theirflight in the direction of the axis of the balloon, or

7 On the other hand, byfworking the rollers 1:1" he can direct theflight of the birds upward or downward.' The result of thesearrangemcntsis,

that the flight of the harnessed birds must to produce the motion anddirectionof the balloon desired by the conductor, whether for goingforward or backward, in a right line, to the right or to the left, orfor ascending or descending; It may be observed that the birds have onlyto fly, the direction of their flight being changed by the conductorquite independently of their own will. I I

The director or conductor in the car lfmay direct the person on thefloor Z by means of a speaking-tube, f, or-other suitable means.

\Vhenthe apparatus stops, the birds rest on K the sta es a u arran edbehind them and moving with the crosslr h. A not or nets, '0,

is then lowered to prevent the birds from flyto ascend from the car I)to the floor 'd, or to descend from the door to the car. The mast fserves to support a parachnte, 1 which pro- 0 teets the birds and servesespecially to regulate the descent of the balloon.

The balloon should always remain as much as possible in stableequilibrium, both when w on the ground and vheu floatingin the air.

5 No weight should be left to be supported by the harnessed birds, sothat the whole of their flying power may be utilized foradvaneing or Astore of ballast enables the conductor to obtainthis result con- 40stantly.

A rope ladder, to, enables the aeronants \Vhen it is on the ground,the'balloon rests on tripodszz, connected to the't'ore and hinder partsof the balloon,and'iurnished at the feet with elastic deviees---such assprings, for example-to prevent or deaden shock. These tripods z'areconnected to one another or to the carb. They form asolid and elasticwhole,

capable of resisting obstacles encountered. The charging and rechargingof theballoon with gas is effected by the piping T, and generally by anyknown means and processes.

Finally, I obscrvethatl can, without ehang ing the principle ofanyinvention or materially modifying the'means already described forcarrying itinto execution, place the entire mechanical apparatus forsupporting and directing the birds under the bottom of the car b. Thisarrangement will possess the advantages of increasing the stability and-of permitting a single aeronaut to raise the balloon.

-I do not claim a device for holding birds that are to carry, and holdsuspended a car or, other aerial vehicle. Birds have not the power to dothis for any reasonable length of time.

I claima 1. In a balloon, thc ombination of the door d, circular railwayg, rollers h, cross-k k, boss i, steering-sleeve j m, standards n, andharv nesses p, snbstantiall y as herein shown and described.

2.. The net 1), combined with the' bird-harness 7) and stage a,substantially as herein shown and described."

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Witnesses: I I

